The night forest pressed close around Linfei, thick with shadow and unspoken threats. His senses, freshly sharpened by the Third Level breakthrough, picked out every detail—the cool dampness of earth, distant hoots of night-birds, and then—
A sudden rattling in the bushes ahead.
Linfei's body tensed instantly, Qi flowing into his veins as he pivoted lightly on his heel. From the thicket burst a boar, its tusks gleaming faintly with a dull spiritual light. The creature's breath snorted steam in the cool air, its hooves pounding the ground with terrifying weight. Though not a cultivator, its raw physical strength could easily gut the careless.
Linfei did not retreat. Stepping forward, he dropped into the first stance of Iron Fist Boxing. The moment the boar lunged, tusks aimed at his torso, Linfei's fist snapped out like a hammer. Qi surged down his arm, bursting across his knuckles—the strike slammed into the beast's skull.
The boar staggered. Blood sprayed from its snout, but it roared back in blind fury, charging again. Linfei exhaled sharply, driving his other fist forward. This time his entire body twisted into the punch, Qi-infused force exploding through the impact. A dull crack rang out—and the beast toppled, lifeless, crashing into the dirt with its momentum spent.
Linfei knelt, calm but efficient, pulling a dagger from his pack. He worked with precision, removing the tusks, gallbladder, and spirit core—the parts most prized by the pavilion in the nearest town, where cultivators could sell beast materials or buy essential resources for their cultivation needs. Wrapped and stowed safely, these would fetch several silver coins back at the pavilion's bustling market stalls.The pavilion itself was more than just a marketplace. It was a lively hub of activity, where cultivators from all walks gathered to trade spirit herbs, beast parts, Qi-enhancing pills, and rare manuals.
Rising, he pressed deeper into the wild forest path. The moon was sinking lower, and his eyes combed the ground for herbs. It wasn't long before his patience was rewarded—he spotted clusters of Moonroot Grass, pale-green stalks that emitted a faint cool glow. Useful for stabilizing Qi circulation, they were treasured by early cultivators. Kneeling low, Linfei harvested the grasses with care, slipping them into a pouch.
But as the last stalk was pulled free, the air shifted.
A hiss, long and low, slithered through the darkness. Linfei froze, his instincts warning before his eyes caught movement. From the tangled underbrush, a massive serpent uncoiled—scales black as obsidian, eyes gleaming with green light. The pressure it exuded was suffocating; this was no trivial foe. The aura was clear—a beast at the Third Level of Qi Refining.
The snake's tongue flickered, tasting him in the air. Its coiled muscles bunched, ready to strike like lightning. Linfei clenched his fists, drawing in a slow, deep breath. His own Third Level of Qi Refining would be tested—not by drills and meditation, but by survival.